In response to the ongoing crisis caused by mass cancellations and delays of IndiGo flights, Indian Railways has stepped in to alleviate the travel disruptions faced by thousands of passengers. On Friday, December 5, 2025, Railways announced immediate measures, including the addition of extra coaches to existing trains and the scheduling of special train services. These actions aim to accommodate the surge in demand as stranded passengers seek alternative transportation options to reach their destinations.
To tackle the immediate crisis, Indian Railways has deployed 116 extra coaches across 37 trains operating in multiple zones. These augmented trains will make 114 trips. The additional coaches include Sleeper, AC Chair Car, 2AC, and 3AC classes, depending on the requirements of the route. Southern Railway has implemented the highest number of augmentations, enhancing capacity in 18 trains. Northern Railway has added 3AC and Chair Car coaches to eight trains. Western Railway has augmented four high-demand trains by adding 3AC and 2AC coaches. East Central Railway has strengthened the Rajendra Nagar–New Delhi service with additional 2AC coaches. East Coast Railway has augmented the Bhubaneswar–New Delhi services by adding 2AC coaches. Eastern Railway has implemented augmentations in three key trains, adding Sleeper Class coaches. Northeast Frontier Railway has augmented two trains with 3AC and Sleeper coaches.
In addition to augmenting existing trains, Indian Railways is also running special train services to manage the increased passenger traffic. Northern Railways is operating five special trains and planning additional services. Overall, Railways plans to introduce 30 new special trains, each with 18 coaches. Central Railway announced it would run six special trains on December 6 and 7. These trains will connect Pune-SMVT Bengaluru, Pune-New Delhi, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Madgaon, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-New Delhi, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Lucknow, and Nagpur-CSMT. Four special train services include the Gorakhpur – Anand Vihar Terminal – Gorakhpur Special (05591/05592), the New Delhi – Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan – New Delhi Reserved Vande Bharat Special (02439/02440), the New Delhi – Mumbai Central – New Delhi Reserved Superfast Special (04002/04001), and the Hazrat Nizamuddin – Thiruvananthapuram Central Reserved Superfast Special (04080).
Collectively, these measures are expected to transport approximately 35,000 additional passengers per day, ensuring connectivity for nearly 2.6 million passengers during this period of disruption. Indian Railways is closely monitoring the situation and is prepared to announce additional special trains and take further measures as needed to manage the crisis and ensure passengers can reach their destinations.
